Is it normal for cats to Pant after play. He is holding his mouth open just like a dog would. Breathing really hard as well. Is this an indication of anything wrong with the heart? I've never had a cat do this before so I was just worried.
I have worried about this also. Tuna does this often after a long play period.
Cats do pant for a variety of reasons not all to do with health. I had a cat who would pant when it was over 20c outside, he was a dsh and lived to 16yrs.
My raggie/main coon was very active and never panted, she died of HCM aged 14 months.
Rule of thumb, if your worried about anything, ask your vet.
Cats, like dogs, can only sweat through their paw pads, so the only way for them to cool themselves is to pant, it exchanges the hot air in their body with the surrounding cooler air. In other words, I do not think you have anything to worry about--when you play hard, you sweat hard! Dakota does this too after some heavy play (-: the first time I heard him it was funny, because you always see dogs pant, so a ragdoll panting makes them all the more puppyish. If it's excessive, I suppose it would be best to see a vet.
He seemed to pant rather quickly during the play, we really hadn't played that long. I got out the dabird toy and he was all over the place. I am looking at him right now and he is wiped out. My first cat I ever had (domestic) died from a heart problem so I think I always worry. I will call the vet on Monday and see what they have to say.
First time I bought da bird home and got it out Simone started panting -- I think it's part of the excitement too. I'll have to look up her panting pic -- it's kind of cute - -but I snapped shot so I could ask about it because it scared me too.
da bird is the only toy that leaves Dakota panting as well---must be an exciting toy!
ragdollbutler Wrote:http://www.ragdollcatguide.com/forum/sho...p?tid=2084
There was a little discussion of this a while back.
That was my post. The vet found nothing wrong with Moby's heart and now that he is a little older
(and lazy) he knows his limits of play and usually stops before he exhausts himself to the panting stage
like he did when he was a kitten. I too was worried but it turned out to be ok. Hope the same is for you.
I am so glad that some of you had panting cats with the da bird as well. I was really concerned but maybe it is not so unusual after all. I will still mention it at my next visit.